STRUGGLING Football League clubs like Latics are looking at all possible ways to increase income - including overhauling the play-offs system.

STRUGGLING Football League clubs like Latics are looking at all possible ways to increase income - including overhauling the play-offs system.

Proposals were recently announced to expand the play-offs to six clubs while handing greater advantage to teams who narrowly miss out on automatic promotion.

The plans, the brainchild of Crystal Palace chief executive Phil Alexander, would see the third and fourth-placed teams handed one-off home games against the winners of quarter-final ties held between the four teams finishing directly below them.

The idea is to create greater gate revenue for clubs by keeping more teams in the promotion hunt longer into the season.

Additional gate receipts and TV money from the extra play-off fixtures would also acrue.

When the play-offs were introduced in season 1986/87, Latics became the first team to miss out on automatic promotion to the top-flight, having finished third in what was then the Second Division.

But in the current financial climate, club officials have welcomed the proposals.

Alan Hardy, Chief Executive, said: "I think these suggestions have some merit. Anything that can guarantee the third-placed club a better chance is a lot better. You could say there's an argument that the third-placed clubs should automatically get a place in the final itself.

"Other variations on the plans are likely to be discussed at length before any decision is made. We are planning to ask for the views of fans about this through the club website."

The proposals will be discussed at a meeting of the Football League at Leicester City on April 24.

No binding vote will be taken but a final decision could be made at a summer AGM and be in place for the start of next season.